Frankfort, Ill., residents back quiet zone plan

The village and Robert E.
Hamilton Consulting Engineers recently hosted an open house for the public to
review information concerning the designation of a "quiet zone" along
the Canadian National Railway tracks in Frankfort, Ill., according to the Joliet
Herald News.

The open house served as an
update to the public regarding the quiet zone process and an invitation to the
public to ask questions and offer feedback regarding the quiet zone proposal.
About 60 residents attended the open house and asked questions and viewed
displays representing the intersection improvements to designate a quiet zone.

As part of an agreement
between Frankfort and the railway, CN agreed to fund the engineering studies
and required intersection improvements that would be necessary to achieve the
quiet zone designation in Frankfort from Harlem Avenue to 116th Avenue. With
the designation, train engineers are prohibited from sounding the train horn at
each intersection unless an emergency situation arises.

The study includes an
inventory of equipment at each railroad crossing along with the risk index for
the location and a review of the safety improvements needed to achieve the
designation. A Notice of Intent to create a quiet zone is expected to be filed
with the Federal Railroad Administration by the end the year. Frankfort
officials said they expect the process to take 18 to 24 months for completion.

"Establishing a quiet
zone will benefit our residents by eliminating the requirement to sound the
exceptionally loud train horn at each intersection," said Frankfort Mayor
Jim Holland. "However, we need to confirm that appropriate supplemental
safety measures are in place at the designated intersections to insure the
safety of our residents."